Apparatus for transforming and distilling hydrocarbons and the like



Feb. 9 1926. 1,572,691'

A. A. F. M. SEIGLE 'APPARATUS FOR TRANSFORMING AND DISTILLING HYDROCARBONS AND THE LIKE Filed July 1G, 1920 '2 sheets-sheet 2 INYENT'OR y l@ l l,

Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

ADOIPHE ANTOINE FRANQOIS MARIUS SEIGLE, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR TRANSFORMING AND DISTILLING I-IYDROCARBON S AND THE LIKE.

f Application filed July 16, 1920. Serial No. 396,767.

To a'ZZ whom 'it may concern:

4Be it known that I, ADOLPHE ANTOINE FnANgois MARIUS SEIoLn, citizen of the Republic of France, residing at 3h15 Rue Clment Marot, Paris, in the Republic of France, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Transforming and Distilling' Hydrocarbons and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improved means vfor heating hydrocarbons to any desired degree, the heating of the hydrocarbons being effected, if desired, in the presence of certain solid substances to obtain simply the distillation, or thermo-chemical reactions ybetween t-he constituent elements of the material to be treated, and'subjected to the methodical action of the more or less intensive heatat determined temperatures. Said means may also be employed fortreating any other. liquid or gas.

The invention comprises a retort consisting of one or more hollow elements of cast iron, bronze, steel or of any appropriate material capable of withstanding intense heat as it will be described hereinafter.

The entire apparatus may bearranged either horizontally, or vertically, or in an inclined position, and is fixed upon a frame.

The accompanying drawings illustratively exemplify the invention as used for the,-

treatment of hydrocarbons:

tort.

Fig. 2 is a cross section thereof along' the i un@ a. a, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section thereof along the line c-c, Fig. 1.

Fig. fis a detail in cross section of a plug for said retort.

Figs. 5 and 6 are elevation views of thev openings provided in the wall of the retort.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of a complete installation according to the invention.

The retort according to this invention consists of several elements having the form of a prism or a hollow or solid cylinder or like form and inside which is provided a coil shaped conduit having circulating therein the hydrocarbons or other material under treatment.

In the example shown, the retort B is com- Fig. l is a longitudinal section of a re-v a longitudinal partition u and placed in communication by 'means of orifices r situated alternately on each side of the partition u, so as to form a coilshaped conduit.

In the outer wall of each of `the `three drums are disposed three elongated rectangular openings fr, y, e (Fig. 3) one of which (shown at the top .of Fig. 3 and in front view in Fig. 5), shows the partition u at its middle part. These openings give access to the interior of the annular passages e e for inspection and cleaning of the latter when desired or for disposing therein at certain points metal straw or turnings (iron, aluminum, ete.) granulated metal or the like adapted to aid in the treatment -of the hydrocarbons vor the like. Y

The said orifices are normally closed by Stoppers having the same.form (Fig. 4) held in place by bolts or by arches closing members whereby they can be easily removed and replaced.

The drums A2, B2, Cl which are situated in line and along a common axis, are connected together at the ends by six cylindrical tenons g' (Figs. 1 and 2), one of which is hollow and effects communication between the coil portion of the adjacent drums A2, B2, C2 which are however separated by the space a? cl (Fig. l).

The entire apparatus is mounted on its supporting frame by means of the baseportions lv (Fig. 3) forming part of the "outer envelopes and secured by bolts or screw spikes.

The retort 'which h is operated in the f ing manner.

The cheap liquid el which is usedfor heating is delivered intol a pressure tank A (Fig. by the pipe ag The fuel passes through pipe a into a gasifying apparatus A of a standard type, which maybe replaced either by a steamer compressed air atomizer or by a plurality of suitable burners supplied with producer gas or the like.

Atmospheric air is automatically introduced (as shown by the curved arrows 1) through the spaces (l d (Fig. 1) and produces a greater or less degree of heat in the retort according to the force of projec' tion and the density of the stream of ilame.

The powerful flame or flamesk thus produced are directed according to the arrows 2 (Figs. 1 and 7) into the central conduit or furnace of the retort B described above, which is mounted upon a frame b. As previously stated, said retort may be arranged either horizontally as shown, vertically or in an inclined position.

The hydrocarbon or other liquid or gas which is to be treated is delivered into the coil conduit e, e through the orifice f (Fig. 1) and passes successively through the entire series of circumvolutions or inner passages of the three drums, being discharged at the other end f of the coil passage after having followed the general direction shown by the arrows 5 (Figs. 1 and 7) and being submitted to a gradually increasing heating action, the material being treated preferably circulating in a direction opposite to that of the heating gases. The 'heated and heating gases might circulate in the same direction, if necessary, but this would be less desirable.

The burning. gases which leave the heating conduit of the retort B will travel in a zigzag path (Fig. 7) through the double rectangular chamber of a recuperator of heat, wherein they pass accordlng to the arrows 3 and 4 and they will be successively cooled upon the outer walls of the'two heat exchanging members C and O -until they are finally discharged into the atmosphere through the stack P.

In the ca se of the distillation f hydrocarbons metal turnings placed in the coil conduit are extremely advantageous. They will divide and so to speak laminate into very fine streams the hydrocarbons and already more or less gasiiied vapor produced in the first portion of this circulation, and the well known action of superheating upon the hydrocarbon vapors now becomes much stronger for a given temperature and also suiiciently easy to regularize. hand since the iron andaluminum turninvs have an active though small capacity for a On the other sorption of atoms of carbon and hydrogen at the respective temperatures of 650 and- 4500 C., this will afford another cause for the rupture of chemical equilibrium of the hydrocarburated molecules, which cause of rupture will be added in an efficacious manner to that resulting from the methodical superheating to whose effects these same molecules are subjected at the said respective temperatures by reason of the successive passage ofthe same through the layers of aluminum turnings atabout 450 and then through the layers of ironturnings at about 650 C. i

However, as is well known to specialists` all systems in chemical equilibrium will be definitely transformed by reason of the variati-on of a single one of the factors of this equilibrium such as pressure, temperature, electro-motive force or concentration of the bod-ies under reaction, said transformation in the present case causes an energetic heightening of the decarburation and the depolymerizm of the molecules iu question.

The residuum which remains within the retorts, in the case represented. in Fig. 7, is evacuated by means of a collecting ldrain pipe (not shown) into which all the tar at the lower Ipart of each element is discharged. The drain pipe is provided with a drain coc-Icwhich is opened at intervals. Having `now` described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

Ap aratus for treating hydrocarbons and the liiie'comprising a retort having ahollow cylindrical wall, a second hollow cylindrical Wall 'spaced therefrom and con-A centric therewith, spaced annular transverse partitions between said two walls dividing lthe space between said walls into a series of annular chambers, longitudinal partitin between said two walls extending throughout the length of said walls, said transverse partitions having apertures situated alternately on opposite sides of said longitudinal partition whereby material to be treated may flow successively through each of said annular chambers in series and I in alternately opposite directions, and means for heating the inner wall of said two walls.

In testimony whereof I havesigned my name to this specification.

AADOLPHE ANTOINE FRANCOIS MARIUS SEIGLE.

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